Caraz Peru Travel Guide
Caraz, a sleepy town in the Peruvian Ancash region, is a great alternative to touristy Huaraz. Here's our travel guide to Caraz, including things to do, where to stay, the pros and cons of choosing Caraz as your base for exploring Huascaran National Park, and how to get there.
Although Huaraz, the capital city of the region, usually serves as a base for thousands of excited hikers who cannot wait to explore the area, it is good to know that this city is not your only option as the Ancash region is dotted with smaller towns and villages that can pleasantly surprise you by great tourist infrastructure
One of those small towns is Caraz, which can be your gateway to the mountains, specifically to the Cordillera Blanca and Huascaran National Park.
Like for Laguna Churup, we got the recommendation to stay in Caraz from fellow travelers, which we met in Colombia on a trek in Los Nevados National Park.
They told us Caraz is still a quiet place from where it is possible to make many day trips, and that's why we decided to explore the town on our own and spent three days there.
Nowadays, Peru is a well-established travel destination, but it is no longer only Cusco and Machu Picchu that attract crowds. Peru is incredibly diverse, and you can experience here anything from visiting the jungle to admiring hundreds of years old Inca ruins or mountains.
And it is the mountains, specifically the area of Cordillera Blanca, that is the new addition to the traditional Peru itinerary.
It was clear that the place that boasts an uncountable number of blue lagoons surrounded by high jagged peaks cannot keep escaping travelers' attention forever.
In this Caraz travel guide, we would like to share our thoughts with you, compare Caraz and Huaraz, and give you tips on the best things to do in this town surrounded by wonderful mountains.
HUARAZ VS CARAZ
Before making an informed decision, you might be curious why you should choose Caraz over Huaraz. We do not say you should skip Huaraz entirely, it definitely has advantages to spend there some time, but you can combine it as we did.
We spent a few days in Caraz, where we enjoyed the more laidback atmosphere, and then we moved to Huaraz for the rest of our stay in the region.
Here's everything you should know about Caraz, including the pros and cons that should help you decide whether it is the best option that is worth considering for exploring the mountains.
SIZE
Caraz is much smaller than Huaraz. Huaraz is the biggest city in the department with 120 000 inhabitants, while Caraz has only around 15 000 people who permanently live there.
It is quite a bit difference, so if you are looking for a more peaceful place to stay, Caraz is definitely a better choice.
TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE
When it comes to tourist infrastructure, the supply when it comes to hotels and restaurants is undeniable wider in Huaraz.
On the other hand, Caraz has several well-rated hotels that are reasonably priced; there's a market, ATM, and a few eateries to choose from.
You'll also find here the bus terminal, public transport works well, and there's also an information center on the main square and a few travel agencies that can help you arrange one or multi-day treks.
ALTITUDE
The biggest difference between Caraz and Huaraz is in altitude, and it was also the reason why we did not stay the entire time in Caraz.
Caraz sits 2256 meters above sea level, so it is definitely a welcoming stop on your travel itinerary if you travel from Lima or any other low elevated destination.
But it is necessary to realize that most of the top hikes in the Cordillera Blanca are located above 4000 meters, and proper acclimatization is essential.
Therefore, it pays off to visit Huaraz as well because the city is located 3052 meters above sea level.
As we already had a few recent experiences with day trips from, for example, Quito or Chimborazo National Park in Ecuador, we knew our bodies would most likely handle the elevation.
Still, if you are not sure what to expect, it might be better for you to acclimate in Huaraz.
CHARACTER
Caraz has a small-town feel, and it really has a character. The architecture is traditional.
One of the reasons you can still find here cobblestone streets and low, colonial-like houses is that the town was miraculously not completely destroyed by the deadly earthquake in 1970.
For example, the town of Yungay that is only about 15 kilometers away, was completely swept away. And out of more than 70 000 victims of this natural disaster, about 18 000 were from Yungay.
CARAZ OR HUARAZ
We would probably recommend Caraz over Huaraz to long term travelers with a flexible itinerary who like to travel to less-visited places and have the luxury of time.
If this is your one or two-week vacation, you should probably stick with Huaraz. There are more things to do in Huaraz, and most importantly, it's a better place for acclimatization.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN CARAZ
This section should rather be named the best things to do around Caraz, because in all honesty, Caraz is a town that is a perfect base for trips to the mountains, but other than that, there is not much to do.
Still, there are a few activities you should not miss, as we think if you decide on Caraz, you will get a valuable insight into local life, which is something you cannot get without personal experience.
LOCAL MARKET
Same as in other towns in the mountains, Caraz is a place where you cannot skip the visit to a local market.
The truth is that in the evening, is this place a bit creepy as there are leftovers all over the ground and strayed dogs walk around to find something to eat.
On the other hand, this is how traditional markets in South America look like.
Nevertheless, it is definitely better to visit the market during the day when it is full of life, and it is even a place where you can grab lunch.
SIGHTSEEING
All in all, Caraz is not a town with a large number of must-see attractions.
Basically, everything revolves around the main square Plaza de Armas, where is a church, water fountain, Musical Pavilion, and several interesting houses with arches.
The more interesting is the cobblestone streets where you can watch life go by.
FOOD
For us was Caraz, the first place where we ate chifa, a cuisine that originated from a fusion of Peruvian and Chinese dishes.
Before we visited Peru, we had no idea that over 5% of the population is of Chinese descent. Chinese people arrived mostly from Guangdong province at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Luckily, they brought their culinary knowledge together with important ingredients that make their food so special.
During the years, meals were adjusted to local traditions and tastes, and a new trend was born.
Although chifa has its origins in Lima, it has spread even to neighboring countries, and we ate in several Peruvian-Chinese restaurants in both Caraz and Huaraz.
We especially liked hot and spicy soups that were great after all day hiking.
HIKING
As our main reason to visit Cordillera Blanca's area was hiking, we chose Caraz as a base for two one-day trips as trailheads were actually closer to this town than to Huaraz.
Although Caraz is for sure not yet that touristy, it is easy to book here a tour to one of many points of interests (it is even quite common to start from here the most popular multi-day hike Santa Cruz), but you'll also find here multiple colectivos in case you prefer to travel independently.
From Caraz, we visited two very famous lakes, Laguna 69 and Laguna Paron.
Thanks to the fact we could plan our trip as we wanted as we did not have to travel with a tour, we had both places at least for some time for ourselves, so stay in Caraz in case you're adventurous and want to beat the crowds.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Make sure your travel insurance also covers high altitude hiking.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY IN CARAZ
Caraz has just enough accommodation options for travelers who opted for this alternative.
You'll find here rather cheaper hotels, which is perfect for budget travelers, but even those of you who prefer a more decent service won't leave disappointed.
Caraz's town center is tiny, and everything, including restaurants, grocery stores, and bus terminal, is within walking distance.
Feel free to choose your hotel from the pre-selection of the best three hotels in Caraz.
Budget | Hostal y Restaurante Business Rosh - We stayed in this family-run, cheap, but very nice and clean hostel, and it had everything we needed, including tasty breakfast.
Budget | Yoly's House - This reasonably priced hostel offers nice rooms, good breakfast, and it is a great base for hiking in the area.
Mid-range | Los Alamos - Quiet hostel with great views over Andean mountains, spacious rooms, and an excellent location close to the main square. This hotel even has a pool and a garden for guests' use.
HOW TO GET TO CARAZ
Caraz is well-accessible by bus from the capital city Lima. The ride takes almost ten hours as the roads are winding, putting it mildly, but the most important thing is that it is easy to get there.
As we were traveling across South America (from north to south), we arrived to Caraz from Trujillo.
Once you get to Caraz, you can travel around by local shared vans called colectivos.
These shared vans have quite frequent departures, especially if you need to get to Yungay or Huaraz.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
